Gay Bar: Why We Went Out

In Gay Bar, Jeremy Atherton Lin explores the history of gay bars, their significance as places of joy, solidarity, and sexual expression, and the author's own experiences as a mixed-race gay man. The book is a sparkling, rich, individual history of enclaves in London, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and asks where we shall go tonight.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 04 March 2021
Publisher: Granta Books

Brilliantly written and incisive, Colm Tóibín's Gay Bar is an absolute tour de force. Maggie Nelson describes it as "a sparkling, richly individual history of enclaves in London, San Francisco, and Los Angeles." But this is not just a story about these places; it is also the author's own experiences as a mixed-race gay man and the transatlantic romance that began one restless night in Soho.

Expansive, vivacious, curious, celebratory, Gay Bar asks: where shall we go tonight? It explores the joy, solidarity, and sexual expression that have long been a part of gay bars around the world, but also the cultural demolition that is closing them down. In the wake of this destruction, Jeremy Atherton Lin rediscovers the party boys and renegades who lived and loved in these spaces.

The book is a rich tapestry of stories, from leather parties in the Castro to Gay Liberation Front touch-ins; from disco at Studio One to dark rooms in Vauxhall railway arches. It is a celebration of the diversity and creativity that have always been a part of the gay community, and a lament for the loss of these spaces.

Gay Bar is not just a history book; it is also a personal journey. Tóibín weaves his own experiences into the narrative, creating a deeply intimate and revealing portrait of himself and his relationships. He explores the complexities of race, identity, and sexuality, and the ways in which these factors have shaped his life and his relationships.

The transatlantic romance that forms the heart of the book is a beautiful and tender story of love and connection across cultural boundaries. Tóibín captures the excitement and uncertainty of first love, as well as the challenges and complexities of navigating a relationship with someone from a different culture.

Overall, Gay Bar is a stunning achievement. It is a powerful and moving exploration of the gay community, its history, and its future. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the complexities of LGBTQ+ life and the importance of preserving these spaces of joy, solidarity, and sexual expression.

Weight: 410g
Dimension: 224 x 142 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783785810